Lori McKenna of Stoughton, Massachusetts is the mother of five, the wife of one, and the daughter of two, and that constellation of relationships has given her more than enough material to fill six glorious albums so far, including her latest, Lorraine, named after herself and her mother. A feature in the Boston Globe attributes the power of her music to “her artful pairing of intimacy and universality. With her own experience as a template, she explores and dignifies the many corners of domestic life, the hopes of small-town dreamers, and the emotional voids that aren’t easily filled.” Her songs are insightful and tough, funny and heart-breaking, which may explain why they’ve been recorded by such Nashville stalwarts as Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Wynona Judd, and Alison Krause. The real payoff, though, comes when Lori sings her own creations. The expressive voice, the smart lyrics, and the tasteful guitar add up to unglamorous perfection.

Marin County native Victoria George suddenly decided after a year of college that she wanted to sing and write her own songs, despite having little musical experience and not knowing how to play an instrument. Fast forward a dozen years, past open mics at the Sweetwater, the Rock-It Room, and Café du Nord, past an EP, two albums, and a three-year Nashville stint, and here she is at the Freight, delivering her own brand of California country with a rock and roll twist.